'Balls' Wad for Risen3D, Zdoom, GZdoom & Prboom+

[Checkmate]

I originally made this for Prboom+, the idea being that it would be playable in all Boom compatable ports. Unfortunately it turns out that that isn't possible. Variances in each port have forced me to 'tweak' it to work with a particular one. So after another month here are the results. There are no port specific features used beyond Boom. More info in the readme.

Screenshots:





BallsR3d.wad for Risen3D(IMO the best looking and most advanced port to date):
<http://rapidshare.de/files/32456270/BallsR3D.zip.html>

BallsZDoom.wad for Zdoom and GZdoom:
<http://rapidshare.de/files/32659920/BallsZdoomV1.1.zip.html>

And a slightly buggy version for Prboom & glboom for those who want it(see post below):

http://rapidshare.de/files/32913382/Prboom_.zip.html

Will NOT work correctly with other ports. Don't use jump. Most things are blocked but you never know.

Let me know what you think...

[Kaiser]

why the hell would anyone want to use Risen3d?

Neat wad btw.

[Checkmate]

Kaiser said:

why the hell would anyone want to use Risen3d?
Neat wad btw.

Thanks. Didn't mean to step into a port blood feud :D Just liked R3D from a visual and technical standpoint. When I realized I had to adjust 'Balls' for specific ports, R3D along with ZDoom (and GZdoom) were the easiest to 'port' to from PrBoom. Believe me I have gone over a lot of specs for each of the 'Boom compatable' ports. That's why, in the end, I decided to go with more than one port. If I had more time I'd release it for all the boom ports... Unfortunately I don't. Thanks again!
CM

[Csonicgo]

aye, that red key door don't work.

[Grazza]

I was able to reach the exit easily enough, collecting all three keys, using Prboom-plus (and the R3D version). However, I had to enable the "compatibility with common mapping errors" options in order to do so. The errors covered by those are all easily fixable without breaking anything else. WadAuthor's error detection should help identify the missing tag problems.

[Checkmate]

Csonicgo said:

aye, that red key door don't work.

OOps. made a last minute change and didn't check the zdoom version. Uploaded a fixed version (1.1) into the first post. Also be aware that you can't open that door without crossing a linedef near the red key, even if you cheat and get the red key. Blue door works the same way...

Grazza said:

I was able to reach the exit easily enough, collecting all three keys, using Prboom-plus (and the R3D version). However, I had to enable the "compatibility with common mapping errors" options in order to do so. The errors covered by those are all easily fixable without breaking anything else. WadAuthor's error detection should help identify the missing tag problems.

I'm glad to hear you were able to get thru. The main things that break are the visuals. The conveyor speeds, teleport to line behavior, inertial behavior, etc. vary just enough to screw things up. Even between the R3d version and the zdoom version there are differences(the inv sphere arches for example). I'll check out WadAuthor when I get the chance. Thanks for the tip!

[entryway]

This wad is good for me. Is very original and full of interesting ideas.

[Checkmate]

entryway -- Thnks

Grazza -- Ok I've been messing with WadAuthor. It's like learning another language after using DB so much. I like the pictures of 'things' in the map. It comes up with 750 errors. Mostly missing textures due to sky/glass floor effects. A few 'sector ceiling is very high' and some others. Let me know if it's worth it to pursue for PRboom+. I released a version for it (BallsEGE) about a month ago and got zero responses. If the visuals aren't too screwed up (No time to adjust all of that stuff again) and people want it I'll fix those errors and release a Prboom+ version too...

[Grazza]

Yes, it lists many things that aren't relevant, and there isn't a way to restrict it to certain types of errors, unfortunately.

The ones to look out for in this context are ones where it says "...has an invalid tag". Double click on that line in the list. It highlights the relevant linedef and in the bar at the bottom of the screen, it will give information about the linedef. The ones that cause problems are normally "remote door" or "remote lift" (generally "remote something") that have no tag at all.

In many cases you can solve this by making it, e.g., a local door. More generally, you can give the linedef a tag that matches a tag you give to the sector(s) on which you want it to operate.

Always back up your work too. If you've been editing your map in DB, then I imagine you'll want to use WA just for checking purposes, rather than risk modifying it in WA, which may not support some of the things that are included in the map.

Checkmate said:

I released a version for it (BallsEGE) about a month ago and got zero responses.

I saw that, but didn't download it because I dislike using rapidshare. I only did so very grudgingly on this occasion.

[Checkmate]

Grazza said:

The ones to look out for in this context are ones where it says "...has an invalid tag"...

...I saw that, but didn't download it because I dislike using rapidshare. I only did so very grudgingly on this occasion.

OK. Went through and eliminated the legitimate "invalid tags" (about 6 or 7). The rest were translucent walls and 'teleport to lines' that it doesn't seem to like. Tested it in prboom+, found a few problems that need to be fixed for it to work, and a few visual glitches. Hopefully I can bang this out soon, test it and upload it. Let me know of an alternative host to RS...
CM

[myk]

Grazza said:
I saw that, but didn't download it because I dislike using rapidshare.

Weird. Do any settings on your browser conflict with it? If Rapidshare is bad, Fileplanet and 3D Downloads should be Hell itself.

[Grazza]

I dislike and distrust any site that forces me to enable javascript just to do something that shouldn't really require it, such as downloading a file. Not to mention the other hoops it makes you jump through. (Yes, I'm sure they have good valid reasons for setting it up the way they do, but I don't have to like it. But let's keep this on-topic; I just wanted to explain why I hadn't looked at this wad earlier when checkmate offered it for testing.)

[Checkmate]

Ok I added the Prboom+ and glboom version for download for Grazza or anyone else who wants to try it out(first post). Be aware there are a few bugs. The 'fast green balls' stop on one side and there are seemingly random HOMs that I'm pretty sure are bugs in the Boom engine. They occur when looking outside and when looking at the 'blue ball falls'. Also there are more texture misalignments in this version, and lighting may look strange in some parts. Otherwise it should work fine... Let me know if you find a problem.

[Grazza]

There's now just one small thing that stops it working in Boom:

bad texture 'FLAT23' in sidedef 4724

If you change that texture (it occurs twice in fact, on linedefs 4897 and 4900) to something valid (or just have it as "-", so it is a missing texture rather than an unknown texture), then the map can be played in Boom (tested with "WinBoom", i.e. Prboom 2.02), and should therefore work in any genuinely Boom-compatible port. Actually, I rebuilt the nodes with glbsp too, but that may or may not be necessary.

There are still some problems with the sky, and maybe some visual effects aren't the way you intended them, but at least now you will be able to see how Boom itself handles your map.

[Checkmate]

Grazza said:

There's now just one small thing that stops it working in Boom:[code]bad texture 'FLAT23' in sidedef 4724

Interesting. Ater a bit of a break from that sucker it might be fun to go in and fix everything, including the visuals, so that it works in Boom. The thing is, I already uploaded to the archives without the Prboom version so very few would see it. Feel free to modify it anyway you like before then...

EDIT: Although I do think the HOMs in that version are a Boom bug. They don't show up at all in the other versions.

[ultdoomer]

I don't know if I'm just missing something, but I get stuck after getting the blue key; I don't know where to go from there. I'm using the ZDoom/GZDoom version.

[Pure Hellspawn]

ultdoomer said:

I don't know if I'm just missing something, but I get stuck after getting the blue key; I don't know where to go from there. I'm using the ZDoom/GZDoom version.

Same idea here. I got lost after getting blue key. I am using ZDOOM 2.1.5. Other than that, nice level.

[entryway]

I think it can/should be done as one universal boom wad easyly. I did not see any rare ports-specific features.

[Checkmate]

ultdoomer said:

I don't know if I'm just missing something, but I get stuck after getting the blue key; I don't know where to go from there. I'm using the ZDoom/GZDoom version.

Go back up the first lift (near the glowing button you press when coming into the building) to the blue keyed door/lift that the revenant was standing on...

[Checkmate]

entryway said:

I think it can/should be done as one universal boom wad easyly. I did not see any rare ports-specific features.

Originally that was the idea. It was made in Prboom+ with compatability 9 as the test platform. Unfortunately it didn't work out because of the differences in ports(see readme).